ZCZC
BSS-26
ACC-CIVIL-SURGEON-OFFICES
Civil surgeon offices brought under ACC scanner
DHAKA, Sept 24, 2018 (BSS) – The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has
brought civil surgeon offices under its surveillance by conducting drives at
the public offices across the country aimed to ensure hassle-free services
among people by checking corruption.
“We must make the civil surgeon offices free from corruption and
irregularities as these are service-oriented agencies. If necessary, the ACC
will conduct more drives at the offices to stop illegal exchange of money,”
ACC director general (admin) and coordinator of its enforcement team Mohammad
Munir Chowdhury told BSS.
He said the ACC conducted drives at five civil surgeon offices, receiving
specific allegations that corruption was taking place in issuing health
clearance certificates among those who wanted to go abroad.
As part of the ACC initiative, the Commission on Sunday conducted
separate drives at five civil surgeon offices in Noakhali, Cumilla, Khulna,
Chapainawabganj, and Bogra district, following receipt of graft allegation
over its hotline – 106. It also carried out drives at the civil surgeon
offices in Dhaka, Madaripur and Tangail today.
The national anti-graft agency carried out the drives simultaneously at
the civil surgeon offices with a view to checking corruption as the workers
intended to go Malaysia or Middle East countries have to give bribe to get
health certificate from the offices.
During the drives, ACC teams talked to service seekers and asked them
not to give bribe to any staff of civil surgeon offices in getting health
(fitness) clearance certificate for going abroad. Over 100 people have got
clearance certificates without giving bribe due to the ACC intervention.
The authorities concerned of civil surgeon offices assured the ACC teams
of taking necessary steps to stop corruption and ensure smooth services, ACC
officials said.
ACC deputy director (public relations) Pranab Kumar Bhattacharjee said
the anti-graft watchdog has so far conducted drives at 15 civil surgeon
offices.
“The ACC has so far conducted over 200 drives at different public offices
since October 2017. The drives have been strengthened from mid-June this year
after getting a huge number of allegations over the ACC hotline – 106,” he
said.
Pranab said the ACC is now conducting drives at different public offices,
particularly at civil surgeon offices, every day except holidays.
During the drives, he said, the ACC teams have found that certificate
seekers were compelled to conduct some medical tests at private hospitals
instead of public ones.
Later, the ACC teams distributed anti-graft leaflets among people to make
them aware of the adverse consequence of corruption.
The ACC drives at public offices have been playing a vital role in
curbing corruption and irregularities and ensuring hassle-free services, the
ACC officials said.
Earlier, on Aug 28, the national anti-graft agency conducted the second
drive at Dhaka civil surgeon office in a month to monitor its activities
after ACC’s first drive there.
In the second time, the ACC found the Dhaka civil surgeon office
relatively transparent and more service-oriented, which was corruption-prone
during its previous raid on July 26 last, the ACC officials claimed.
In line with the ACC directive, they said, the Dhaka civil surgeon office
has introduced registrar books and stopped exchange of illegal money in
issuing health certificates.
BSS/spl-AHJ/MRI/1850 hrs